Loyola's Unyielding Defense: The Key to its Dominance
The Ramblers' stifling defense has been the cornerstone of their success this season. As the team has navigated its first four games with ease, it's become clear that their defensive prowess is the driving force behind their dominance.
With a tenacious defensive effort against Fenwick, Loyola continued to showcase its ability to create indecision in opposing ballhandlers, leading to turnovers and upending the Friars' game plan. Senior guard Marycait Mackie, who scored 11 points and grabbed two rebounds, attributed the team's energy to their communication and switching. "We're feeding each other off, switching, talking, communicating," she said. "That's where we start, whether shots are falling or not."
The Ramblers' defense has been a constant, with low scores against their opponents in their first three games a testament to the team's hard work and dedication. Senior guard Kaitlyn McGovern was instrumental in limiting Fenwick guard Avani Williams to just nine points, showcasing her ability to face-guard and provide energy on one side of the floor.
The Ramblers' success is also attributed to their ability to press opponents and force live-ball turnovers. When they're able to do so, their offense comes alive, with guards Madison Locke and Emily Naraky thriving in transition. "We emphasize communication all the time," Locke said. "While the defense is already in midseason form, it's clear that this team feeds off constant movement and relocating."
Junior forward Emily Naraky has been a revelation, using her passing ability to open up scoring opportunities for the team. "She's a point guard out of the post," coach Jeremy Schoenecker said. "She's been running the floor extremely well. I think she had four or six points just in transition." Mackie added that Naraky is "awesome" and has a keen sense of where to pass the ball.
The team's buy-in on defense stems from having players who have developed within their system. As Schoenecker said, "It's all about creating that culture and building it." The Ramblers know what it takes to not only get to Illinois State but also to succeed in Bloomington-Normal, with a 4A state title in 2024 and a fourth-place finish last season.
As the team continues its success, one thing is clear: Loyola's stifling defense will be the driving force behind their dominance.
The Ramblers' stifling defense has been the cornerstone of their success this season. As the team has navigated its first four games with ease, it's become clear that their defensive prowess is the driving force behind their dominance.
With a tenacious defensive effort against Fenwick, Loyola continued to showcase its ability to create indecision in opposing ballhandlers, leading to turnovers and upending the Friars' game plan. Senior guard Marycait Mackie, who scored 11 points and grabbed two rebounds, attributed the team's energy to their communication and switching. "We're feeding each other off, switching, talking, communicating," she said. "That's where we start, whether shots are falling or not."
The Ramblers' defense has been a constant, with low scores against their opponents in their first three games a testament to the team's hard work and dedication. Senior guard Kaitlyn McGovern was instrumental in limiting Fenwick guard Avani Williams to just nine points, showcasing her ability to face-guard and provide energy on one side of the floor.
The Ramblers' success is also attributed to their ability to press opponents and force live-ball turnovers. When they're able to do so, their offense comes alive, with guards Madison Locke and Emily Naraky thriving in transition. "We emphasize communication all the time," Locke said. "While the defense is already in midseason form, it's clear that this team feeds off constant movement and relocating."
Junior forward Emily Naraky has been a revelation, using her passing ability to open up scoring opportunities for the team. "She's a point guard out of the post," coach Jeremy Schoenecker said. "She's been running the floor extremely well. I think she had four or six points just in transition." Mackie added that Naraky is "awesome" and has a keen sense of where to pass the ball.
The team's buy-in on defense stems from having players who have developed within their system. As Schoenecker said, "It's all about creating that culture and building it." The Ramblers know what it takes to not only get to Illinois State but also to succeed in Bloomington-Normal, with a 4A state title in 2024 and a fourth-place finish last season.
As the team continues its success, one thing is clear: Loyola's stifling defense will be the driving force behind their dominance.
I mean, if they're relying on it too much, they might get burned by a team with a killer offense. They need to find that balance between shutting down the opponent and creating scoring opportunities for themselves. And it's cool that they have players like Naraky who can create in transition, but what happens when their defense is off? 
Still, I gotta give them props - that Fenwick game was a huge win! 
. I mean, they're not even breaking a sweat in those games against Fenwick and whoever else it was... like 10-0 wins? That's crazy! 
As long as they keep that defense up, their offense will be fine too 
. It's all about creating that culture and buying in from the players – I love how coach Schoenecker emphasized that 
. But what really gets me is how they're not getting any credit for it... like, when are they gonna get recognized as a top team? 
. It's no wonder they're dominating like this - their defense is literally unstoppable 
. They've got some serious chemistry going on with their players and it shows in their communication and teamwork on the court 
. I mean, Marycait Mackie said they're feeding off each other's energy and it's all about creating that culture and building trust 
. And Emily Naraky is literally killing it as a point forward, using her passing skills to set up shots for her teammates 
. It's not just about one player making the highlight reel plays, it's about how they all come together to create this unstoppable force 
.
.
. And when they can force live-ball turnovers, watch out! It's like the offense is on steroids 
.
and I want to see more! How long can this defense keep up?
I swear, back in my day we didn't need all these defensive strategies to win games! We just played hard and ran our tails off 
. But I guess that's progress for you! The Ramblers' defense does seem pretty solid, though 
. And Kaitlyn McGovern is on fire 
. But what I love most about this team is their communication and teamwork 
. It's clear they all feed off each other's energy and are working together towards the same goal 
.
. And it's awesome that the team has developed a culture where everyone knows what it takes to be successful 
- it's all about that chemistry and communication 
. It's amazing how they've been able to limit their opponents' scoring opportunities with such tenacity 
. And let's not forget those press plays - when they can get into the opponent's head and make them make mistakes, it's like a whole new ball game 
! The key to their success is that buy-in on defense, where every player knows what it takes to succeed in this system 
. It's not just about individual greatness, but collective excellence 
!
. Marycait, Kaitlyn, Madison, Emily Naraky... they're all just killing it on D 
! I'm not surprised they're killing it in games so far 
. Loyola's all about that D-life, and I'm HERE for it 
they really got it together with that defense and it's making their offense go off 
and marycait mackie is so underrated 
but seriously tho, it's the whole team's buy-in on defense that's making them unstoppable 
i'm low-key salty cuz loyola didn't make it past the first round last year 
anyway, it's not just about the players, it's about the system too 
it's all about creating that culture and building it, i guess 
I don't think so. There's more to winning than just having a bunch of dedicated players who all gel together - there's talent, strategy, and hard work involved too.
.